Chihiro's Choice
by wordcandy
Summary: 10 years since she left the spirit world, Chihiro is nearly killed when she is hit by a car. Haku offers her a choice; a guaranteed lifetime of happiness or a gamble on forever. Rated T for now but it most likely go up in a few chapters
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I only own the plot. Sadly I do not have a dragon of my own. Sad day. . .**

It has been ten years since her trip to the spirit world. In those ten years she had been bullied and ridiculed for her crazy stories about spirits and dragons. Everyone, including her parents, thought she was insane. When she was fifteen, she overheard her parents talk about sending her for psychiatric help. She never spoke of the spirit world again, but she never stopped believing. She had developed what some people would consider an unhealthy obsession with dragons, and often found herself touching the necklace that graced her neck at all times. It was a braided band of fine green hair like fibers with a single glimmering scale dangling from it as a pendent. Everyone thought it was simple green thread with a shell and found it odd that no matter what the occasion she never took it off.

Now at twenty years of age she stood outside a restaurant, waiting for Michi, the one friend she had so that they could have dinner before going out for Chihiro's birthday. She would be twenty one in three days. She pulled her coat around her with one hand, while the other absently fingered the shell and she thought back to when she had gotten it.

_I should have looked back, I know he told me not to, but I should have. I met with my parents and we made our way to our new home. They were grumbling about stomach aches and couldn't figure out why they had no memory of the last week. I tried to tell them and they told me to stop telling stories. We got to the house and I let them deal with the movers as I sat out on the back porch thinking about my time in the spirit world. I had only been gone twenty minutes and I already missed everyone terribly. I shifted my weight and felt something in my back pocket. I pulled it out; it was the very necklace that I wear to this day and a folded piece of paper. With shaking hands I unfolded it and discovered it to be a letter. _

_**Dearest Chihiro, **_

_**When I promised that we would see each other again I meant it. I fully intend to keep my promise to you, but in order for me to do so you must do three things. You must always put others before yourself. No matter who they are or what they've done you must be selfless. Second, you must never stop believing. Lastly, you must put this necklace on and never take it off. It is imperative that you do this Chihiro. NEVER take it off. Do these three things and you will see me again, please don't make a liar out of me Chihiro. Everyone misses you and sends their love. **_

_**Love, **_

_**Haku **_

She had done as he asked and never took off the necklace, the scale had once settled nicely between her collar bones, but now it was a choker, snug around her neck.

"Hey look it's the freak!" Chihiro was ripped from her thoughts as two boys that had bullied her for the past ten years walked up to her.

"You know, that choker of hers looks more like a dog collar than a necklace. Where's your master little dog?"

Chiriro closed her eyes and tried to ignore the hurtful words. With her eyes closed her other senses became more sensitive; she picked up the scent of alcohol. Great. . . They're drunk.

"You know what, you're right it does look like a dog collar, but there's no way this freak has a master. Must be a stray, and strays don't wear collars." The first boy reached up to rip the choker from her neck and she shoved him back. In his drunken stupor he stumbled back several steps into the road, he was seconds away from being hit by a car and without even thinking Chihiro leapt from the safety of the sidewalk and with all her strength pushed the much larger boy out of the way.

Bright lights, the sound of tires squealing and then pain. So much pain. She flew back ten or so feet at the impact and her head hit the pavement. Haku's words ran through her mind, _you must always put others before yourself. No matter who they are or what they've done you must be selfless, _and then her world went black.

"Chihiro," Someone was calling her name, "Chihiro, wake up."

She opened her eyes and was blinded by pure white light. She clamped her eyes closed again and then ever so slowly let them slide open. Standing before her was a young man with greenish black hair and beautiful emerald eyes, he looked like and older version of. . . it clicked.

"Haku!" She leaped into his arms and hugged him like her life depended on it. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too Chihiro. I promised you would see me again, so here I am."

She looked around and saw only endless amounts of white, nothing but white. "Where are we? I'm dreaming aren't I?"

"Yes, in a way you are dreaming. We're inside your mind."

She looked at him dumbfounded, "what do you mean 'in my mind'?"

"Do you remember what happened before you woke up here?"

She thought for a moment. "Yeah those guys were picking on me, one of them tried to pull off my necklace and. . . oh God. I'm dead."

"You're not dead." Under his breath he added "Yet."

"What do you mean 'Yet'? Haku, tell me what's going on!"

"Your body is on an operating table, and your heart has stopped."

"I'm dead!" She interrupted him

"Chihiro! Let me finish. Please!" She nodded for him to continue. He let out a sigh and started again, "Maybe I should start with something else. Okay, when humans die there are three things that can become of their souls. First, if the human lives a corrupt life of greed, anger, or hatred their soul is cast below to the underworld. If they live a life that is more or less good, making a few mistakes but for the most part being a good person they carry on to the afterlife. Last, if a human lives a selfless and humble life they are offered the chance to become a spirit. Now you, Chihiro, may have been spoiled and selfish as a child but for the last ten years have always put others first. Infact the reason why your heart has stopped is because you made the ultimate sacrifice, giving your life in the place of someone else's even though that person had been cruel to you for years. That being said, because of the band Zeniba gave you, you have a choice. You can let your body be resuscitated or you can let go."

Chihiro opened her mouth to speak but Haku covered it with his hand.

"Wait. Before you answer I still have more to tell you. If you choose to be resuscitated, the magic of the band will be gone. You'll no longer be protected. However, because of that necklace I am in your mind and from here can pass through to the human world. I will no longer be a spirit but I would be with you. On the other hand, if you choose to let go and allow your human body to perish that does not guarantee that you will become a spirit. Yes, the chances are high that you will be allowed to roam the spirit world for several thousand years but there is always that small chance that you'll have to go straight to the afterlife, and before you say what I know you want to say; human afterlife and spirit afterlife are not the same. If you are sent there you'll never see me again.

Those were her options. Guarantee her happiness for a lifetime or gamble on forever?

**A/N: So there it is. What do you guys think, what should she pick, leave me with some reviews! But I will tell you, I already know which one I leaning towards but I still want your input.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I'm assuming you all read it at the beginning of the first chapter. It carries on for the remainder of the story**

"So I have an impossible decision to make."

Haku nodded.

"It's hardly even a choice at all."

"I know Chihiro, and whatever choice you make I will accept and support. But, you need to choose quickly or your body will parish before the decision is made."

"Would you think me selfish if I said I wanted to let go and hope to be a spirit?"

"Of course not Chihiro." He hooked a finger under her chin so rhat she would look up at him, "I love you and want you to choose what will make you happy."

A single tear slid down her cheek, "Good because, I love you too and I can't bring myself to go back to the human world, not when there's even a sliver of a chance for me to go back to the only place that has ever felt like a true home. I want to go back and be with you and Lin and Kamaji. Hell, even Yubaba is no worse than some of the humans I've been tormented by."

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, "Is that your decision?"

"Yes."

Haku let go of her and began to fade away along with the world around her. It grew darker until she was staring into an endless black void. Then a great flash of light and she found herself standing in what appeared to be something similar to a court room. There were eight spirits sitting at a long table in front of her, five male, three female. A tall woman with long blond hair stood and addressed her

"Chihiro Ogino, child of the human world, you have been selected to stand before us in judgment. Fear not child, for no matter what decision we come to your fate shall not be one of pain. You will either proceed to the afterlife or remain on this realm as a spirit. Do you understand?"

"Yes"

"Very good, we shall proceed then. First of all, do you wish to become a spirit?"

"Yes, I do."

"You have been to this realm before, have you not?"

"Yes, I have."

"And is there anyone you feel would be willing to guide you through our realm, teach you our ways and take responsibility for you?"

"Yes."

"Name them before the counsel."

"Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi" As soon as she finished speaking his name he appeared by her side. Without turning to look at him the blond spirit greeted him. "Welcome Kohaku" Haku gave a small bow before the spirit continued, "Chihiro Ogino stands before the counsel to be judged if she is deserving of becoming a spirit. If given the privilege of walking our realm she has named you to be her guide. Do you accept?"

Haku looked from the spirit to Chihiro who looked incredibly nervous, like she thought he might actually say "no." With a small smile he answered, "It would be an honor to be her guide."

"Very good, let the judgment begin."She returned to her seat as the tall white haired male spirit at the left end of the table stood.

He glared at her "This girl spent the first half of her life spoiled, lazy and selfish. Even as an infant she was selfish, not allowing her mother more than two hours of sleep at a time for months, constantly needing attention and wailing like she was dying if she was not at her mother's bosom. She only changed her ways after being told by a spirit to do so. She is not worthy."

He sat back down as the next spirit stood, a tall brunette male, "Raijin, you fool. All human infants demand attention and mothers know this before they conceive a child. Now, as far as only changing her ways when she was told to so, she began changing her ways the moment she stepped foot into the spirit world. Her mother and father gorged on our food and she did not. She was even told by her parents to join them and she, knowing it was wrong, did not. I deem her worthy" He took his seat and the female sitting next to him stood.

"Tenjin is right. Durring her stay in the spirit world she was selfless, putting all others before herself. In fact Kohaku himself would have passed on if not for the courageous actions of this girl. I deem her worthy."Before she was even seated the next male spirit stood.

"Uzume, you are wrong. While her actions may have saved Kohaku they were not selfless. She saved him for herself, so that she would not have to mourn him. To save herself pain. Humans are fickle things, changing their minds and altering their opinions, thoughts and actions as quickly as the wind shifts. She is not worthy." Again this spirit took his seat as the next rose to his feet.

"Going back to what Tenjin said, she defied her parents. She defies nearly every order that a person of authority gives her. Even one from Kohaku, he told her to never visit her parents without him and she did not listen. She went without him. I cannot condone disobedience. She is not worthy." He took his seat.

Chihiro was a shaking giant ball of nerves, five of the eight spirits had spoken and the odds were against her. Haku had started rubbing her back in an effort to comfort her, it helped some but it did not alleviate the feeling that she was about to lose him forever. The final male spirit continued to sit for a moment, he appeared to be deep in thought, finally he stood and smiled at her.

"Dear child, Fujin and Hachiman are fools, do not dwell on their words."Chihiro looked at him and smiled at his encouraging words, feeling like she might get her forever after all. The spirit contined, "I am Ryujin, God of the seas." He looked to Haku, "Nice to see you outside of your river Kohaku." Haku bowed his head slightly as the spirit returned his attention to Chihiro. "Kohaku's river flows into the sea and has spoken of you on many occasions. Based on your actions in the last several years along with Kohaku's opinion of you, I deem you worthy."

Chihiro felt a slightly relieved, yes there are still two spirits left her odds were even again.

The female spirit at the right hand end of the table didn't even stand before saying, "She is not worthy."

The blonde female that had spoken to Chihiro before her judgment stood, "Sengen! You cannot pass judgment without reason. Stand and give your reasoning."

With a sigh Sengen stood, "Ten years she was selfless, ten years she was selfish. The way I see it her time of being selfless merely negates her selfish years giving her the right to carry on to the afterlife, not the right to become a spirit. She is not worthy."

Chihiro felt her heart drop. One more spirit, her choice meant everything and it wasn't even a sure thing. A "no" would send her to the afterlife and away from Haku forever. A "yes" would result in a tie, what would they even do if there was a tie? Probably just send her to the afterlife because they couldn't make a decision.

"Child, you worry far too much." The blonde spirit from before was once again standing and speaking to her, "I apologize for not introducing myself and for not fully explaining the way the counsel works. It's been so long since a human was even considered to become a spirit. I am Amaratsu, Goddess of the Sun. The counsel's opinions are just that; opinions. They speak their minds in an attempt to sway me, but I have final say. They could have all said no and I can still say yes, just as they can all say yes and I can say no."

Chihiro felt like she was going to faint. All they worrying over what the others say and it all came down to this. All that mattered was what Amaratsu thought of her. "I have heard the opinions of the counsel, and I have reviewed your actions in life, specifically the way in which your human body died. You gave your life to save another, despite all he had done to you; you paid the ultimate price to save his life. That along with your years of putting everyone else first, giving Kohaku his name back, and the fact that he now stands here to take responsibility for you leaves me with only once choice."

Chihiro was looking at her feet, she hadn't really heard what Amaratsu had said, she was much too nervous to really listen.

Amaratsu walked up to Chihiro and tilted the girl's chin up so that she could look into her eyes as she spoke, "I deem you worthy."

**A/N: So, i decided to go for the gamble, i mean its my story so I knew it wouldn't really be a gamble anyway. I'm thinking about writing a second story where she chooses the lifetime in the human world. Hope you all enjoyed it and please know that not all my updates will be this quick. That being said I will try VERY hard to update at least once a week, also I could really really use a beta. Any volunteers?  
**


End file.
